Author's Note: Y'all will be glad to know that this story is really rolling. :) No delays in the near future, at any rate! I'm glad you are all enjoying this tale as much as I am. Your reviews are the brightest spots in my day! Ta very much.
The Doctor figured that if he could just bottle and distribute the aggressive cheerfulness that was Kaylee Frye, he might just have a shot at solving all the universe's problems. Or, at the very least, making an ginormous fortune on the intergalactic drug market. Great stars, but she was a happy person. Rose would have absolutely loved her. The Doctor was rapidly developing an affection for her himself.
At the moment, she was lecturing him very earnestly on reasons why he should not take his ship to dockside repairmen.
"...though you never wanna trust dirtside mechanics. They can turn most anything into a ri shao gou shi bing, you give 'em half a chance. It's a real pity we didn't meet up earlier, I'd'a been happy to take a look at her for ya. What kinda ship did you say you fly?"
"Ah...I didn't, exactly." Time to change the subject. If he could. This girl was seriously passionate about her ships. She'd probably adore the TARDIS, but now was not the time to open that can of mysteries. "This is a beautiful ship. How long have you flown with her?"
Kaylee beamed at him. Quickest way to her heart, the Doctor decided. Just compliment Serenity. He quite understood, as he was inclined to take a shine to anyone who said nice things about the TARDIS. "'Bout eight years now," she said. "This here's the best ship in the 'verse."
"I can believe it. What class is it again?"
"Firefly."
"I've never sailed in a Firefly," said the Doctor.
"They'll fly forever, you got even a half-decent mechanic," Kaylee enthused. She drew herself up proudly. "And I'm more'n half-decent."
The Doctor reached out to run his fingers over a pipe. There was a rough beauty to her. Serenity wasn't just a means of moving through space, she was a home. More than just good engineering kept her in the sky. He could feel love in every part of her, every rivet and joint. He hadn't been on many ships that felt like this. His own was one of the few. "Tell me, Kaylee–why is she called Serenity?"
"Cap'n named her," she said, watching the motion of his hands approvingly. "After the Battle of Serenity Valley."
The Doctor took a guess. "He fought in the battle?"
Kaylee nodded. "Worst battle of the war." Her bright little face clouded. "Can't imagine how awful it musta been, stuck there for six weeks with all the dead and wounded. Cap'n and Zoe never talk about it, but they was the only ones in their platoon to get out alive. Kept a buncha others alive, too, Browncoats and Alliance."
"The captain was a 'browncoat' then?"
Kaylee looked indignant. "'Course! Ain't no way the Cap'n was Alliance!" She frowned at him. "You're wearin' a brown coat yourself, Doctor–and you're old enough to have fought in the war. Weren't you an Independent?"
He gave her his most blinding smile. "Oh, absolutely" he said, with perfect truth. He'd fought in a War, and he was most certainly independent. And plenty old enough, oh yes.
Her face relaxed. "Oh, good. Cap'n don't like them as supported Unification." She tilted her head, grinning impishly, and added, "'cept maybe Inara."
"Inara? Who's that?"
"That must be my cue," said a mellow female voice. "I'm Inara Serra."
The Doctor turned, and just managed to keep his jaw from sagging. The woman standing in the engine room's doorway was...well, she was simply stunning. Flawless skin, shining black hair, magnificent eyes. Wasn't just outward beauty, either–to the Doctor's perception, she radiated strength and compassion, kindness and humor and just enough darkness to keep things interesting.
"Wow," he said. "You are absolutely beautiful. Completely glorious."
Behind him, Kaylee giggled.
"No, seriously," said the Doctor, seriously, and winked at the girl over his shoulder. "How did Captain Reynolds manage to get four gorgeous women on his ship? He doesn't seem all that charming."
Inara's full lips curved into a smile. "Oh, he has his moments," she said. She glided forward, extending a beautifully manicured hand. "I'm pleased to meet you...?"
The Doctor took her fingers in his and, impulsively, bowed over them, brushing her knuckles with his lips. "I'm the Doctor," he said. "And I'm extremely pleased to meet you."
While she had not really expected the sinister little man she'd envisioned, Inara was a bit surprised at the reality. She hadn't expected young, or charming. Or quite so enthusiastic.
As a Companion, she was more than accustomed to men (and women) waxing poetic about her beauty and grace. She struck men speechless, and it was a rare occurrence indeed that she did not draw all eyes to her as she passed. It was, she admitted, only to be expected.
The Doctor was neither speechless nor particularly poetic in his compliments–and the really strange thing was the fact that, while he was very clearly admiring her in a man-appreciating-woman fashion, she did not sense any serious sexual desire from him. As though his own sexuality were something he had complete and total control over, and acknowledged only with wry irony.
Mal was right. There was something very unsettling about this man.
Inara was far too good a Companion to allow any trace of her thoughts to show on her face, keeping the gracious smile intact and perfectly sincere. "The captain told me we'd taken on a new traveler. It's always wonderful to meet new people."
"Oh yes," said the Doctor happily. "It's my favorite thing in the universe. New people, new planets, new new thoughts." He smiled, flashing a pair of deep dimples. It was, Inara noted, an extremely charming smile. She had the feeling he was perfectly aware of it, too. "Inara is a lovely name," he continued. "It suits you."
She smiled her thanks and turned to Kaylee. "Have you shown him the passenger quarters yet?"
Kaylee blushed. "Uh...no. I got sorta sidetracked."
Inara reached out to touch the younger woman's cheek with affection. "I understand. Engines are far more important."
Kaylee wrinkled her nose, then stuck out her tongue. "You're better at it anyway. The guest stuff, makin' 'em feel all at home and everything."
"I don't know about that." Inara offered her arm to the Doctor. "Shall we?"
He took her arm and tucked it in his, beaming still. "We certainly shall." He looked at Kaylee. "Serenity is gorgeous," he told her. "You should be proud."
Kaylee glowed with pleasure.
As they made their way down the corridor, Inara remarked casually, "You're quite good at that."
"At what?"
"Charming people. Making them feel good about themselves."
"Oh, well," he said modestly. "I've just had loads of practice is all. And it doesn't exactly cost me anything to be nice, especially when the person is as lovely as little Kaylee."
"No, I suppose not." Inara kept her voice light, though her thoughts were racing, utilizing every bit of training she'd ever had in reading body language and vocal inflection, trying to gain some sense of the man beside her. "Where are you from, Doctor?" she asked, watching his profile.
Faint lines at the corner of the eye nearest her deepened. "Oh, all over, really," he said. "Wanderlust, that's me."
Evasive. "Have you ever been to Sihnon?"
"Sihnon? Oh...lovely place. Bit quaint, though."
He was lying now, she was sure of it. But why?
He turned his head a little, catching her eye. A dimple put in an appearance as he smiled ruefully. Knowingly. "Actually, I'm lying," he said. "I've never been there in my life. Is it nice?"
Caught off guard by his admission, Inara stumbled a little over her reply. "Well...yes. I haven't been back there in a long time, though."
"You didn't leave it on good terms."
Sweet Buddha, he was reading her just like she was reading him. "I wouldn't say that," she said coolly.
"I see. None of my business." He winked at her. Inara put up her serene mask, refusing to let him see just how much he'd unsettled her. He went on. "I'm curious, though–what do you do on the ship? If you'll forgive the observation, you're not exactly dressed for hauling cargo."
She arched an eyebrow. "I'm the ship's counselor," she said.
He stared at her for a moment, then threw back his head and laughed. "Of course you are." He slipped his arm free of hers to shove both hands in his pockets, slanting a shrewd gaze down at her. "And I imagine you're wondering now just what you're going to tell the captain about this conversation–and that he's surely right about me. I am odd, and I promise I'm dangerous."
Inara felt her expression freeze. She had no idea what to say.
The Doctor's face softened into a small smile. "You can tell him I meant what I said before."
"And what was that, Doctor?"
"Oh, you'll have to ask him." The Doctor ducked a low-hanging wire as they started down the stairs leading to the infirmary and common area. "But I'll assure you that, while I may be dangerous, not to mention a bit weird, I am not a threat. Not to this ship and crew, anyway. From what I've seen so far, you're just the sort of people I like."
Inara frowned slightly at his phrasing. "And what becomes of those people you do not like?"
"Well...I ignore them. Mostly." He squinted at the room around them. "This ship's a bit confusing, isn't it? Where are we now?"
"You didn't answer my question."
He arched an eyebrow. "No, I didn't. You'll find I'm very good at that, avoiding answers. And you haven't answered my question: where are we? Is this–oh, is that an infirmary?" He darted forward to the infirmary doors. "Look at that. I've got one on my ship, but I lost it...oh, a long time ago. Never did me much good anyway, I almost never get injured when I'm actually in my ship. Bit inconvenient, really, but I suppose that's life for you." He gave the room a once over. "Bit creepy, isn't it? I hate hospitals, though, and this is definitely hospital-like."
"But...you're a doctor."
"No, I'm the Doctor. Not actually medical, not really. I did study medicine once–well, I use the term 'medicine' loosely...but an M.D.? No, not me. I can put a band-aid on someone if I have to, and I don't get woozy at the sight of blood, but don't ask me to do anything with a needle, I'm absolute rubbish."
"If you don't practice medicine, why call yourself 'doctor'?"
Inara turned to see Simon emerging from his cabin. He gave her a polite smile of greeting. She returned it. "Simon. Are you speaking to Mal yet?"
The young doctor shrugged. "Maybe. River didn't actually get into trouble, so I suppose I don't have an excuse to be upset. And I probably should learn to let River take care of herself a little more." He looked back at the Doctor expectantly.
The Doctor leaned against the infirmary door. "Oh...that wasn't a rhetorical question then, about my name?"
"'Doctor' isn't a name," said Simon. "It's a title."
"Oh, I can tell this conversation is going to get very old before long. Why the hang-up about names? They're so overrated. I mean, if I'd told everyone my name was 'John Smith' there wouldn't be half so much argument, even if it was a complete lie. I. Am. The Doctor. End of story. Not going to answer to anything else, so just deal with it. And to answer your question: there are lots of kinds of doctors that have nothing at all to do with medicine."
Simon folded his arms. "All right. What kind of doctor are you, then?"
"Oh, bit of this, bit of that." He smiled brilliantly. "Everything, really. Except advanced medicine and, possibly, aeronautics."
"And what does that mean?"
"I can't fly. Really, I can't." The Doctor straightened. "Now," he said to Inara, "please tell me I've met everyone on this ship. I'm getting very sick of people poking and prodding and asking personal questions. You hu–people are so bloody nosy. So tell me...where's my room?"
Chinese Translations for Chapter 7:
Ri shao gou shi bing Pile of sun baked dog poo
